Pokémon: Shattered Crystal
by AmbientMaster
Summary: Novelization of a Pokémon Crystal Nuzlocke run. A young trainer named Ryan sets out to become the Champion, but there are many hurdles in his path, not least a mysterious young man named Silva...
1. 1-1: Beginnings

I take my black-and-yellow baseball cap and wedge it firmly onto my head. With my jacket and backpack already on, I'm now finally almost ready for the journey ahead. There are just two more things I need before I can truly begin. One of them awaits me downstairs, though as I make my way down the narrow staircase, I'm entirely unaware of this.

As I enter the living room, my mom greets me as usual. "Good morning, Ryan," she says sweetly. "Professor Elm is waiting for you in his laboratory." Of course he is. I knew he would be when I woke up today. He had called by last night, to tell me about an errand he needed me to run for him. It was too late then for me to leave, but now it's a bright new day, and I'm free to assist him with whatever needs doing.

"Oh, I almost forgot!" my mother says suddenly. "Your Pokégear is back from the repair shop. Here you go!" She hands me my repaired Pokégear. It's a blue wristwatch with several advanced functions, including a phone and a radio. The radio and GPS functions had stopped working, but as I strap it on and flick through the menu, it looks like everything's working again now. That's a relief. I'm sure the GPS mapping system will come in handy.

With my Pokégear all set up, I head out into New Bark Town. It's a small town surrounded by forest, with only one route leading out of it, although of course it's not safe to leave without a Pokémon to protect you. To the east of town is a steep, shallow cliff, leading all the way down to the sea. It might not sound like the nicest place to live, but it's been my home ever since I can remember, and I'm pretty fond of it.

Professor Elm has lived here for as long as I can remember also. He's a Pokémon researcher, who has dedicated his life to uncovering the many mysteries surrounding Pokémon. His laboratory is only a short walk away, on the western side of town, and it takes my only a few minutes to get there.

As I approach the lab, I notice a young man with long red hair peering in through one of the windows. He mutters something, but I don't quite catch it. "Is there something I can help you with?" I ask him.

The man turns around and glares at me. His gaze is fierce, and I immediately get the impression that whatever his intentions are at this place, they're not good. "Beat it, kid," he snarls. I'm not sure who he's calling kid; he looks barely older than I am. Nonetheless, I duly walk past him and enter the laboratory.

Professor Elm is waiting for me near the back of the lab, sitting at his computer desk as always. "Ah, Ryan!" he says as I enter, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose with one hand and waving with the other. "There you are! Now, about that favour I asked of you yesterday… I was hoping you could help me with some research I'm conducting."

As I approach the desk, I notice three Poké Balls sat on it, next to the keyboard. The second and final thing I'll need for my journey: a Pokémon to keep me safe. A Pokémon to be my companion. But for now, I get straight down to business. "What kind of research?" I ask.

"Well, you see," says Professor Elm, "I'm writing a paper on Pokémon growth habits that I want to present at a conference. But there are some things I don't quite understand yet. So, I'd like you to raise a Pokémon that I recently caught, in order to give me some more data. Is that okay?"

"Of course," I say, nodding. In truth, as much as I like this town, I've always wanted to get out and explore the rest of the world. I suppose maybe that's part of the reason I agreed to run this errand for Professor Elm in the first place.

The professor gives me a relieved smile. "Thanks, Ryan," he says. "You're a real help. I'm sure, with the help of these findings, we'll be able to-" The professor is cut off by a loud beep from his computer. "Huh? Oh, excuse me for a moment…" He turns his attention back to the monitor. It looks as though he's received some kind of important e-mail. "Let's see… hmm…" He reads it with some interest, then turns back to me.

"Looks like there's been a slight change of plans," he says. "You see, I have this… acquaintance who calls himself "Mr. Pokémon". He makes a lot of weird discoveries, and often sends me e-mails raving about them. Well, I just got an e-mail from him telling me that he's made his biggest discovery yet, and he wants me to come check it out for myself. Obviously, I'm interested, but I'm busy with my research, and my conference paper. So, could you go in my place, please? You can gather the data I need and check out Mr. Pokémon's discovery for me, all at once! Sound good?"

I nod. "Yeah, sure," I say. "No problem."

"Alright, thanks," says Professor Elm. "Here." He gestures at the three Poké Balls lying on the desk. "I want you to choose one of these three Pokémon to raise. You'll be that Pokémon's first partner, and in turn, they'll be your first partner. So, which one will you pick?"

I pore over each of them in turn. Chikorita, the Grass-type Pokémon. Cyndaquil, the Fire-type Pokémon. Totodile, the Water-type Pokémon. They all look like good choices. I think it over for a little while, and then make my decision. "I'll take Cyndaquil," I say.

"Cyndaquil it is, then," says Professor Elm, nodding. He hands over the Poké Ball containing Cyndaquil, and I clip it onto my belt. My first companion. I'm going to take good care of them. "Mr. Pokémon lives a little way beyond Cherrygrove City," the professor continues. "It's almost a direct route there, so you can't miss it. But just in case, here's my phone number. Call me if anything comes up." He writes his number down on a piece of scrap paper, and I enter it into my Pokégear's address book. The professor then gestures at a large machine at the back of his lab. "If your Pokémon ever get hurt," he says, "you should heal them with this machine. Feel free to use it anytime."

I nod once again. "Okay," I say. Thank you."

Professor Elm places a hand on my shoulder, giving me a confident look. "Ryan," he says, "I'm counting on you."

"I'll do my best," I tell him. With that, I turn and start to leave, only for one of Elm's researchers to call out to me. "Hey, Ryan!" he says. "Before you go, I wanna give you this." He hands me a Potion, an item for healing Pokémon. "You might need it for your errand."

"Thank you," I say, smiling kindly at him. I put the Potion away in my backpack, for safe-keeping.

"Good luck out there," says the researcher.

"Thanks." Adjusting the straps on my backpack, I head out of the laboratory to begin my journey. As I exit through the front door, I notice that the red-haired young man I saw on my way in is no longer there.


	2. 1-2: To Cherrygrove City

Before heading out onto Route 29, I decide to give my Cyndaquil a name, as a symbol of the bond I hope to share with him. I therefore name him "Firebrand", after the flames spouting from his back. Firebrand seems to like the name, and it seems happy to go with me. We both agree to look forward to having many happy adventures together.

The journey to Mr. Pokémon's house can't be far, and the Pokémon inhabiting Route 29 can't be that difficult to fight. With that in mind, I set foot outside my hometown for the first time in my short life. Route 29, like most routes in Johto, is fairly narrow, with thick trees surrounding it on all sides. Ledges restrict your movement, while patches of tall grass provide habitats for wild Pokémon hiding within them. We watch our step as we progress, for those wild Pokémon could attack us at any moment.

Before long, we reach an area where the only way forwards is through the tall grass. Without any choice, we set foot inside it and are immediately attacked by a wild Pidgey. It's a little startling at first, but I quickly recover. "Firebrand, use Tackle!" I call out. Firebrand duly Tackles the Pidgey away from me, and the wild Pokémon responds with a Growl, squaring up to its newfound opponent. In the end, my first-ever battle is a short one: two more Tackles and the Pidgey is down, with Firebrand barely scratched. "Nice job, buddy!" I call out to Firebrand, who responds with a cheerful growl.

I'm sure that won't be the last Pokémon that attacks us, and sure enough, just a few steps later we're attacked by a wild Rattata. This time Firebrand takes it down without taking a single hit, and we escape the first patch of grass. Progressing up a nearby ledge, we wind our way along the path and into another patch of grass. This time we pass through without incident, though when we reach a third patch of grass a short distance away, another Rattata appears. This one refuses to go down without a fight, responding to Firebrand's first Tackle with one of its own, but my companion still prevails.

On a ledge above us to our right, I spot an Oran Berry tree with a ripe berry hanging down from its branches. I've heard that Oran Berries have healng properties, so I figure they might come in useful in case of emergencies. I carefully climb up the ledge, pick the Berry, and slide it into my pocket. As I climb back down, I can see Cherrygrove City in the distance. Firebrand and I press on, and we arrive without further incident.

On the outskirts of the city, I'm approached by an old man, who seems to have noticed Firebrand at my side. "Hey there!" he says. "You're a rookie trainer, aren't you? I can tell!"

"Oh, I'm not a trainer," I reply. "I'm just running an errand: this Pokémon is my protection."

The old man doesn't seem to get it. "It's okay!" he says. "Everyone's a rookie at some point! If you like, I can teach you a few things to help you out on your journey. How about it?"

I guess it might be worth learning a few things, just in case I run into any complications. Besides, I don't think this guy is going to take no for an answer. "Sure," I say with a shrug. "Why not?"

"Alright then!" says the old man. "Follow me!" Turning around, he heads off into the heart of the city, with Firebrand and I following behind. It's not long before we arrive at a building with a bright red roof, and a sign with a Poké Ball logo printed on it. "This is a Pokémon Centre," the man explains. "They'll heal your Pokémon for you in no time at all, and it's all for free, too! You'll be relying on them a lot, so look out for them." I nod. A place like this will definitely come in handy if Firebrand gets injured.

The old man continues on his way, and a little further down the street we arrive at a building with a bright blue roof. "This is a Poké Mart," says the man. "They sell Poké Balls for catching wild Pokémon, Potions for healing your Pokémon, and a whole host of other useful items." I don't have much money on me, but if I do get hold of some, then I could definitely use some Poké Balls and Potions. That way I could catch a few other Pokémon for extra protection, and I could heal them without having to traipse all the way back to the nearest town.

A little way further on, the man points down a road leading north out of the city. "Route 30 is out that way," he says. I take note of it, since this is where I'm headed, but the man continues: "There are a few other trainers out there, battling their prized Pokémon. You know the rules of battling, right? If you lock eyes with a trainer, you have to battle them. If you don't want to battle, stay out of their line of sight."

We continue heading west, and soon I can smell the salty sea air. I recognize the smell from my hometown, and already it seems rather nostalgic. Soon we're walking right beside the coastline. "This is the sea, obviously," says the old man. "Some Pokémon are found only in water, so you might want to try fishing sometime."

We circle back round, heading east again and into the residential area of the city. Eventually, we arrive at a small terraced cottage. "And this here… is my house!" says the old man. "Thanks for your company. Let me give you a little something to help you on your way."

Reaching into his pocket, the man pulls out what looks like an SD card and hands it to me. "This is a Map Card for your Pokégear," he explains. "You have a Pokégear, right?" I nod. "Then you'll be wanting to get more Cards for it. The more Cards you get, the more useful it is. Here: slide it into that slot there, and you'll be able to view a map of the whole region, with your current location marked on it. Isn't that handy?"

I don't have the heart to tell the old man that my Pokégear already has all the Cards installed, including the Map Card, so instead I just smile and nod. "Thank you, sir," I tell him.

"I wish you good luck on your journey!" says the old man, before waving goodbye. "See ya!" I wave goodbye back, and the man turns and heads into his house.

Now that I'm free of him, I should probably set about preparing for the next leg of my journey. I start by heading to the Pokémon Centre to heal Firebrand, and to acquaint myself with the place. If I'm going to be relying on them as much as the old man suggested, I should know what to expect from them. The interior of the Pokémon Centre is fairly warm and inviting, with a pink tiled floor and several comfortable-looking seats to sit in while you wait. There's a computer in the corner as well, for organizing your Pokémon.

Standing at the front desk is a cheerful pink-haired woman in a nurse's outfit, complete with hat. She smiles broadly at me as I approach. "Good morning," she says. "Welcome to our Pokémon Centre. We can heal your Pokémon back to perfect health. Would you like us to heal your Pokémon?"

"Yes, please," I say, sending Firebrand back into his Poké Ball.

"Okay then," says the woman. I hand over Firebrand's Poké Ball to her, and she heads over to a healing machine like the one Professor Elm had at his laboratory. "One moment, please…" She places the ball into one of half-a-dozen bowl-shaped slots in the top of the machine, then switches it on. There's a gently pulse of light and a mild humming sound as the machine does its work, followed a few moments later by a whirr and a beep as it finishes. The woman takes the Poké Ball back out of the machine and hands it to me, smiling. "Thank you for waiting," she says. "Your Pokémon is all healed up. Stay safe!"

"I will," I reply. "Thank you." With Firebrand all healed up, I head out of the Pokémon Centre and back towards the entrance to Route 30. I don't bother entering the Poké Mart; like I said, I don't have a lot of money.

Route 30 looks much the same as Route 29. Once again, I'm attacked the moment I enter a patch of tall grass, this time by a wild Poliwag. It's a Water-type, so its attacks will probably give Firebrand a lot of trouble. Rather than try and fight it, I flee onwards, and luckily the Poliwag does not pursue us.

As I head north, I spy another Oran Berry tree, and gladly accept its fruit. I also find a plastic spray bottle lying in another patch of grass nearby. I pick it up and examine it out of curiosity. It turns out to be an Antidote, used for curing poisons. "This'll come in handy," I remark. I stow it away inside my backpack, but in doing so I let my guard down and a wild Pidgey attacks us. Firebrand comes to my aid once again, Tackling the Pidgey away although not without sustaining a couple of blows.

I quickly move on, and soon I arrive at a fork in the road. A sign tells me that the left-hand fork will take me to Route 31 and Violet City, while the right-hand fork will take me straight to Mr. Pokémon's house. I duly take the right-hand path, and sure enough, after just a few steps I can already see the house in the distance. However, between me and it lies a rather large patch of tall grass. Undeterred, we press on, with Firebrand easily taking out the Pokémon that try to ambush us. The continued attacks are starting to weaken him, but I feed him one of the Oran Berries I'd picked and he quickly perks up. Finally, we find ourselves outside Mr. Pokémon's house, and I swiftly knock on the door, eager to see what his revolutionary discovery is.


	3. 1-3: The Egg and the Thief

The front door opens to reveal a middle-aged man with grey hair, a bushy grey moustache, and a trilby hat. I'm guessing this is Mr. Pokémon. "Ah, hello!" he says. "You must be Ryan. Professor Elm said you'd be coming over. Please, do come in."

Mr. Pokémon holds the door open for me, and I follow him inside. His house is rather messy and cluttered; there's a bunch of machinery scattered around, and several large bookshelves filled with encyclopaedic volumes about Pokémon. There's another middle-aged man sat at the table, but my mind is focused on Elm's errand and I don't pay him any attention. "So, what's this big discovery of yours?" I ask Mr. Pokemon.

Mr. Pokémon grabs something from off the table and shows it to me. "This!" he proclaims. "This is what I want Professor Elm to examine." Looking at it, it appears to be some kind of egg. It's a creamy-white colour, with strange red and blue markings all over it. I've never seen anything like it before.

"I know a couple who run a Pokémon day-care service out on Route 34," says Mr. Pokémon. "They gave me this egg. Apparently, they don't know where it came from, and they've never seen anything like it. I was pretty fascinated by it, so I fired off an e-mail to Professor Elm. After all, he's the leading authority on Pokémon evolution. Even Professor Oak here knows that."

Mr. Pokémon gestures at the man sitting at the table, and suddenly I recognize him. Professor Samuel Oak is one of the most famous Pokémon researchers in Kanto and Johto; he even has his own radio show. "Hello, Ryan," he says, waving at me. "I was just here on a visit; Mr. Pokémon's an old friend of mine."

"Hello, Professor Oak," I say, smiling warmly at him.

"I hear you're running an errand for Professor Elm," he continues. "I'm guessing he gave you that Pokémon?" He points to Firebrand.

I nod. "This is Firebrand," I say.

"That's a good name," says Professor Oak. "That's a pretty rare Pokémon, too. Professor Elm must think you have good potential as a trainer, to give you a Pokémon like that. Hmm…" He leans forward, as though examining Cyndaquil carefully, then straightens up, seemingly pleased. "Yes, I'd say he was right. Like all good Pokémon trainers - and like myself and Professor Elm - you clearly understand that Pokémon are our friends, not just tools. He must have seen that you would treat your Pokémon with love and kindness."

"Well, I've only had him about an hour, but yeah." I pick Firebrand up and give him a gentle hug. "Firebrand's been a good friend to me so far." He's warm to cuddle, too. That'll be useful on cold nights.

Professor Oak seems to have a sudden brainwave. "Ah!" he exclaims. "Since you seem to be dependable, Ryan, how would you like to help me out?" He reaches into his lab coat and pulls out a strange red clamshell device. "Here," he says. "This is the latest version of my Pokédex. It automatically records data on Pokémon you've seen or caught, like a high-tech encyclopaedia. I'd like you to have it. Go and meet as many kinds of Pokémon as you can, and record their data in that Pokédex for me. The information will be invaluable for my research. If you can, try and complete it!"

I take the Pokédex, then hesitate. "Are you sure you want me to have this?" I ask.

Professor Oak nods. "I'm sure. I have total faith in you, Ryan. Oh, but I've stayed too long," he adds suddenly, getting up from his seat. "I have to get to Goldenrod for my usual radio show. Ryan, I'm counting on you!" With a parting wave, Professor Oak departs.

Mr. Pokémon seems pretty impressed by what's just happened."That's a big responsibility you've been given there, Ryan," he remarks. "Professor Oak doesn't just hand out Pokédexes willy-nilly, you know."

"I guessed that," I say. "But I'm still not sure about this."

"Professor Oak certainly is," says Mr. Pokémon. "And trust me, he knows a good trainer when he sees one. But anyway, back to the topic at hand." He glances down at the egg, which he is still cradling in his arms. "Whatever this egg is, I'm sure Professor Elm will know. Could you take it to him?"

My confidence returns a little. "Now that I know I can do." I take off my backpack, open the main compartment, and carefully fit the egg inside. It's nice and snug in there, and hopefully it'll be safe from damage. The last thing I need is for it to get smashed en route to the lab.

"While you're here," says Mr. Pokémon, "I think Firebrand could use some rest." He gestures at a machine in the corner that looks similar to the one Professor Elm had at his lab.

"Good idea," I say. I quickly heal Firebrand, then head off on my way.

"Good luck, Ryan!" says Mr. Pokémon as I leave. "I'm counting on you!"

I've only taken about half a dozen steps away from the house before my Pokégear rings, signalling an incoming call. The caller ID is Professor Elm. I swiftly answer. "Hey," I say, "I just got back from-"

"Ryan, it's a disaster!" Professor Elm cuts me off, his voice frantic and panicked. "Something terrible has happened at the lab! What should I do… oh, Arceus, I… uhh… please! You have to get back here right away! I'll explain more when you get here!"

"Wait!" I call out. "Professor, what are you-" But it's too late. Professor Elm has already hung up, and I'm left staring at my Pokégear in disbelief. I don't know what could have happened back at Elm's lab, but whatever it is, it's not good. I hurry back down Route 30, dashing through the grass with Firebrand at my side. Mercifully, our only opposition is a lone Pidgey, which Firebrand easily Tackles aside. Before long, we're back in Cherrygrove, heading towards Route 29.

As I approach the Route 29 entrance, however, I spot a familiar face dashing towards me. It's the young man I saw outside Professor Elm's lab earlier today. Upon seeing me, he cuts me off, staring menacingly down at me in silence for a few moments. Then, he looks down at Firebrand. "So, Elm gave you a Pokémon," he says finally. "What a waste. A wimp like you doesn't deserve a Pokémon like that. I, however…" He plucks a Poké Ball from his belt, and slowly the dots begin to connect in my mind. "I also have a strong Pokémon, and unlike you, I know how to use it."

With a confident smile bordering on smugness, the man throws his Poké Ball. "Go, Totodile!" he cries. Totodile bursts out of its Poké Ball, its two small fangs gleaming dangerously as it zeroes in on Firebrand. Clearly the man's intent is to battle me, and although I've never battled another trainer before, it looks like I don't have a choice. Firebrand is at a type disadvantage here, but he should also have more battle experience, and should therefore be stronger. I guess we'll find out very shortly.

Firebrand swiftly launches into a Tackle, damaging Totodile and dodging its retaliatory strike. Another Tackle, but this time Totodile manages to rake across Firebrand's side with its claws, sending him skidding away. I'm not worried, though, as it seems like I was right: Firebrand is the strongest of the two by far. Two more exchanges of blows later, and Totodile is limping and badly hurt, while Firebrand has little more than scratches.

Two more Tackles without reply, and Totodile collapses to the ground, unconscious. I could easily have Firebrand finish it off, but I'm not that kind of person. Instead, I simply recall him back to his Poké Ball, confident that I've proven myself to the man.

With a sneer, the man recalls his unconscious Totodile. "Hmph. Are you happy you won?" he asks. "Good. Enjoy victory while you can."

I take the opportunity to ask the obvious question. "Who are you?"

The man is once again silent for a moment, staring me down before answering. "My name is Silva," he says finally. "I'm going to the world's strongest Pokémon trainer, and I'm not going to let anyone get in my way, least of all a wimp like you." Angrily shoving me aside, Silva sprints off, presumably to the Pokémon Centre to heal his wounded Pokémon. I'm a little shaken by the whole encounter, but nonetheless, the victory has given me a little more confidence in my own ability. What's more, I think I now have an idea about what happened back at New Bark Town. I quickly enter Route 29, hurrying to get back to the professor's lab as soon as possible.


	4. 1-4: The Challenge Awaits

I make it back through Route 29 safely and head straight for Professor Elm's laboratory. When I get there, I find that one of the windows has been smashed in. Looking inside, there are several police officers milling around, taking statements and gathering evidence. Elm's lab is the most important Pokémon research facility in Johto, so the theft here will be of great concern to the local police force, in case anything of significance was stolen.

I duck under the police tape and make my way inside the laboratory. Professor Elm is standing near his desk, talking to a police officer. As the officer notices me approaching, he turns to me with a stern expression. "Excuse me, kid, this is a crime scene," he says sternly. "You can't just-"

"It's okay," Professor Elm said hurriedly, "he's an assistant of sorts. I asked him to come back here after the robbery occurred, just after I called you guys."

The police officer still looks sceptical of me, but decides not to question my presence any further. "I see," he says.

"What exactly happened here, Professor Elm?" I ask.

The officer butts in before Elm can answer. "According to the professor, a rare Pokémon was stolen from the laboratory a short time ago," he said. "The culprit broke in through the front window, stole the Poké Ball, and left immediately without stealing anything else."

"They only took the Pokémon?" I say. "That's strange. There's a lot of stuff here worth stealing, why only take a Pokémon?"

"I don't know," said Professor Elm. "Admittedly, this wasn't a Pokémon you could just find anywhere, but how did that kid know about it?"

I remember the incident that occurred on my way here, and the dots fully connect. "It… wouldn't happen to have been a young guy with long red hair, would it?" I ask.

"Wh- yes, it was!" said Professor Elm, surprised. "But-"

The police officer is equally surprised. "You're saying you ran into someone of that description?" he says.

"Yes, I did," I tell him. "He attacked me on the outskirts of Cherrygrove City… with the stolen Pokémon. I assume. I beat him, and he ran off."

"I see," said the police officer, readying his notepad. "Did you happen to get his name?"

"He told me his name was Silva," I tell him. "I don't know if that's a first or a last name, though."

The officer jots down what I just told him. His attitude towards me seems to have improved considerably now that I've assisted him. "Well, that's still a great help," he says. "Now we know his name _and_ his recent movements. Thank you very much for your assistance."

The police officer heads off, presumably to relay this new information to the other officers. Elm and I are left by ourselves. The professor still looks a little shaken by what's happened. "Ryan, this is terrible," he says. "I can't believe someone would do something like this."

I feel a sudden pang of regret. "I'm sorry, Professor. I could have stopped him back at Cherrygrove."

"Don't beat yourself up, Ryan," says Professor Elm. "You did what you could." The professor decides to change topics, giving me a small smile. "So, anyway… what was Mr. Pokémon's big discovery?"

"Uhh… hang on a second." I put down my backpack, open up the main compartment, and take out the egg.

Professor Elm seems shocked at the sight of the egg. "That?!" he exclaims, taking a step back. "Well, I… what _is_ that?"

"I don't know," I tell him, shrugging. "Neither does Mr. Pokémon. He was hoping you'd know."

Composing himself, Professor Elm steps forward again and adjusts his glasses, peering down at the object. "Well, it looks like it could be a... Pokémon egg! If it is, then it's a fantastic discovery! We've always wondered how Pokémon reproduced, and this egg could well be the answer to our questions!" He reaches out to take it from me. "May I…?"

"Of course," I say, handing it over. The Professor takes it gently in his hands and turns it over, examining it. "Truly an amazing discovery…" he mutters. "I'll study this egg and see what I can learn about it." He places it very carefully on top of his healing machine, nestling it inside one of the Poké Ball slots, then turns back to me. "Is there anything else to report?"

"I guess there is one thing," I say. "I ran into Professor Oak at Mr. Pokémon's house, and he gave me a Pokédex." I take out the Pokédex and show it to Professor Elm.

"He did?" said Professor Elm, amazed. "Wow, that's incredible, Ryan! I guess Professor Oak must have seen the same potential in you that I have. You'd make a great trainer, Ryan, maybe even a Champion someday."

I hadn't really thought of myself as being that good at Pokémon training, but it seems that the two professors both think otherwise. "You really think so?" I ask.

"I do," says Professor Elm. "In fact, I think you should take the Pokémon Gym Challenge. It's an excellent way of both honing and proving your skills with Pokémon. The closest Gym would be the one in Violet City, north of Cherrygrove."

I think it over for a moment. It's certainly worth considering; I can gather Elm's data, look after the egg, and test myself all at the same time. "Okay," I say eventually, nodding. "I'll give it a try."

Professor Elm crouches down and places a hand on my shoulder, looking at me with a serious expression. "Ryan," he says. "The road to the championship will be a long and difficult one. You'll face a lot of challenges, and you might not make it through all of them unscathed. You do understand that, right?"

I nod. "I understand."

"Good." Professor Elm straightens up again. "You should talk to your mom before you leave. She'll want to know where you're going, and what you'll be up to. I'm sure she'll be proud of you, Ryan. I'll be rooting for you all the way. Good luck."

"Thanks, Professor," I reply.

I turn to exit the lab, but Professor Elm suddenly calls me back. "Wait, Ryan!" I turn back, and the professor heads to his desk and opens a drawer. Fishing around, he pulls out five empty Poké Balls, one after the other, and then hands them to me. "Here," he says. "If you're going to be filling in the Pokédex for Professor Oak, you'll be needing Poké Balls to catch new Pokémon. You know how to use them, right?"

"Yeah," I say. "You just weaken the Pokémon you want to catch, and then throw a Ball at them."

"Precisely," says the professor. "You'll want to catch as many Pokémon as you can to fill that Dex up. Besides, you won't be able to take on the whole Pokémon League with just that Cyndaquil, no matter how strong it is."

"Okay." I take the Poké Balls and put them in one of the pockets of my bag. I'm sure they'll come in very useful. "Thank you, Professor."

"Good luck, Ryan," says Professor Elm. "I'll call you if I learn anything about the Egg."

I head back out of the laboratory with this new idea firmly planted in my brain. I'm going to try and become a strong Pokémon trainer, and even if I can't become the Champion like Professor Elm thinks, I'm sure I can still do myself proud if I really try my best.

Ducking back under the police tape, I emerge into the street once more, and head off back towards home. When I get in, my mother is in the kitchen. "Good afternoon, honey," she says. "What did Professor Elm want?"

"He wanted me to run an errand for him over in Cherrygrove," I tell her. "He gave me a Pokémon to help me." I show her Firebrand.

"Aww, that's a cute Pokémon," she says. "That was very kind of the professor. Did you thank him for it?"

"I did, mom," I reassure her.

"Okay, that's good," she says. I know I should tell her that I'm leaving to become a trainer now, but somehow I just can't bring myself to. She seems to tell that something's up, however, because after a moment she says: "Is there something else, Ryan?"

I take a deep breath and decide to just come out with it. "Professor Elm says I have enough skill with Pokémon to be a champion trainer one day. He says I should go and take the Pokémon Gym Challenge, so... I'm going to do it. Or at least, I'm going to try. But it means that… I might not be home for a while."

My mother nods, and to my relief I see that she is smiling. "I see," she says. "So, you're leaving on a big adventure… well, in that case, I wish you all the best of luck, dear. Do remember to come and visit sometime, okay? I'll keep your room nice and tidy for you. And don't push yourself too hard, alright? You can always take a break whenever you need to."

"I know, mom," I say.

"Hmm… there must be some way I can help you out from here…" my mother says to herself.

"Honestly, mom, I'll be fine," I tell her.

"I'm sure you will," she says. "You're my big, strong man, and I'm so proud of you, but that doesn't mean I can't support you, right? Oh, I know! I can save money for you! I'm sure you'll be needing plenty of it on your journey. Would you like me to do that for you?"

"Sure," I say. "Thanks, mom." [AUTHOR NOTE: I actually chose "No" in-game, as I find the mechanic annoying, but it wouldn't fit the narrative if I had the protagonist decline. Let's say it works differently within the story.]

"Okay," my mother says. "Be careful out there. And remember, Pokémon are your friends. You need to work with them, not treat them like tools."

"I know, mom," I say. "I'll look after Firebrand and the others. I promise."

"Good," she says, smiling down at me. "Now, go on! Go out and conquer those Gyms! I'll be behind you all the way!"

I nod. "I will," I say. "I'll see you later, mom."

"See you later, Ryan," says Mom. "I'll be rooting for you!"

I leave my house, not knowing when I'll be returning to it, and head back towards Route 29 once more. My Pokémon journey is now truly underway.


	5. 1-5: A Little Help From My Friends

As I make my way back through Route 29, the sun begins to set. I'm soon accosted by a Pokémon I've never seen before: a Hoothoot. Now that I have Poké Balls, I decide to make an attempt to catch it. "Go, Firebrand!"

Firebrand swiftly weakens the Hoothoot with two hard Tackles, and though it responds with a Tackle of its own, Firebrand shrugs it off like it's nothing. With the wild Pokémon weakened, I quickly take a Poké Ball out of my backpack and throw it. It neatly encapsulates the Pokémon, shakes thrice, and is still. I've caught my first Pokémon, and in honour of having caught her at night, I decide to name her Dusk.

My new catch doesn't seem to like me at first, which is perhaps understandable. However, after I feed her an Oran Berry to get her strength back up, she perks up a little and hoots with content. "Don't worry," I reassure her. "I'll take care of you. I promise." Before I can return Dusk to her Poké Ball, we're suddenly confronted by another Hoothoot. I quickly recall Dusk and send out Firebrand, who dispatches it with ease. Dusk will be weak, since she has little battle experience, so I'll want to try and avoid getting her into any serious fights just yet.

With Firebrand now at my side, we're not attacked again, and I reach Cherrygrove without further incident. Having received some allowance from my mother, I immediately head for the Pokémon Mart the old man had showed me on my previous visit. Some more supplies would definitely come in handy. I buy some more Potions, and some medicine to cure my Pokémon should they ever get poisoned or paralysed. These medicines could well save my Pokémon's lives, if I use them properly.

With most of my money now gone, I head back out onto Route 30. Once again I recall the old man's words to me: trainers will be battling their Pokémon out here. I beat Silva back at Cherrygrove, but somehow I'm still not entirely confident about my abilities. I grasp Firebrand's Poké Ball tightly in my hand. I guess I'm about to find out either way.

Just like before, I'm ambushed the moment I set foot in the tall grass, this time by a wild Zubat. I see this as another potential catch, and send Firebrand back out to battle it. As the Zubat swoops down to strike, Firebrand dodges it and instead Tackles it, injuring one of its wings and forcing it to crash into the ground. I toss a Poké Ball at the wounded Zubat, expecting it to be caught like Dusk, but instead the Poké Ball smashes into pieces as the Pokémon breaks free.

As the Zubat tries to swoop at Firebrand once more, the Cyndaquil Tackles it again, and this time pins it to the ground with a front paw. As it tries to break free, gnashing its jaws and screeching fruitlessly, I throw another Poké Ball and this time I am successful: the Zubat is caught. It's a female like Dusk, and after a moment's thinking, I decide to name her Banshee, on account of her gender and shrill screeching. My party now numbers three.

Before I get a chance to heal Banshee, another Hoothoot attacks me and Firebrand is called into action once more. Once again Hoothoot fells it with little effort, but I start to worry that the constant fights will wear Firebrand down by the time I reach the trainers up ahead. He's the only Pokémon I have that's fit for battle, and should he fall, I'll be all but helpless. I quickly feed Banshee and Firebrand some Berries, then press on.

When I arrive at the fork in the path, I take the left-hand fork this time, towards Route 31. I can see a few elementary school-age kids playing around on the path, accompanied by Pokémon. It doesn't occur to me that these might be the trainers the old man had warned me about – at least, not until I'm suddenly ambushed by a young boy who looks about eight. "Hey!" he says enthusiastically. "You look like a weak trainer! Come on, let's battle!"

Ordinarily, I'd be reluctant to battle a kid of this age, who might cry if I beat him too heavily. But the remark about me looking weak stings me. I decide to prove myself to him. "Alright," I say. "Bring it on."

"Prepare yourself!" says the kid, grabbing what appears to be his only Poké Ball. "Go, Rattata!" The kid sends out his Rattata, which gnashes its teeth in a show of intimidation.

"Go, Firebrand!" Firebrand emerges from his Poké Ball and is almost immediately Tackled by the Rattata. Firebrand holds his own, responding with a Tackle of his own that seems to weaken its opponent considerably. The Rattata puts up a brave fight, but two more hits later and it's down. Sure enough, that was the kid's only Pokémon, and so the battle is already over.

The kid doesn't cry – much to my relief – but he does look pretty upset about losing. "Darn it!" he exclaims. "I lost again! I knew I should have caught some more Pokémon before battling again!"

Feeling a little sorry for the kid, I decide to give him some advice. "It couldn't hurt to train your Rattata a little as well," I tell him. "Sometimes it's better to have one strong Pokémon than six weak ones."

The kid thinks this over for a moment. "Hey, yeah, you're right!" he says. "Maybe I don't need any other Pokémon in order to battle better! Maybe if I just stick with my Rattata, the two of us can get stronger together! Yeah, that's what I'll do! I'll stick with Rattata right to the end! Thanks for the advice, mister!"

That wasn't quite what I meant, but if it makes him feel better, then so be it. "Don't mention it," I say.

The kid thinks for another moment, then asks, "Say, can I get your phone number? Maybe we can train together sometime, and you can give me some more advice. Since we're both rookies, it'd be a good motivator. What do you say?"

I shrug. "Sure, why not?" I say.

"Thanks!" says the kid. We swap Pokégear numbers, and in the process I learn that the kid's name is Joey. "I'll ring you whenever I get the urge to battle!" he says.

"Go ahead," I say. "Alright, see you later, Joey."

The rest of the battles on the route turn out to be the same: schoolkids like Joey, with no real idea about how to train or battle their Pokémon. I brush them all aside without any problems. As I progress, I start sending out Dusk against some of the weaker opponents, in order to start building up her battle strength. I can't rely on just Firebrand forever.

Before I know it, I'm on Route 31, and only a short distance away from Violet City. To the north I spot a cave entrance, but it looks pitch-black inside, and I have no idea what lies within, so I decide not to enter. Instead I head west along the path, soon encountering another young trainer who battles me with four weak Bug Pokémon. Using Dusk and Firebrand, I defeat him with ease.

"Hey, you're good!" says the kid, after he's been defeated. "I like you! How about I share some of the Berries I find with you? If you give me your phone number, I can call you whenever I find some good Berries. Sound like a fair deal?"

It can't hurt to have more Berries. "Yeah, sure." I exchange phone numbers with the kid, whose name I learn is Wade, and continue on my way.

Not too far from where I battled Wade, I find a stray Poké Ball lying on the ground. I pick it up, but before I can put it away, I'm accosted by a wild Poliwag. Praising my luck, but wary of the type advantage it holds over Firebrand, I send out Dusk to battle it, intending to capture it. The Poliwag defends itself with a flurry of bubbles, but Dusk shrugs off the attacks and soon the Poliwag is weak enough for me to throw the Poké Ball I just picked up at it. It works, and I now have my fourth companion: I name him Dizzy, after his waddling gait and the spiral pattern on his stomach.

Shortly after catching Dizzy, I arrive in Violet City. It's now nightfall, and the streets around me are illuminated by bright lamps. It's too late to challenge the Gym Leader today, and in any case, I don't think I'm ready yet. Beating a bunch of schoolkids with Caterpies is one thing, but beating an experienced Gym Leader will be quite another. I decide to first locate the city's Pokémon Center, to rest my weary Pokémon, then find a hotel and rest my weary self. Tomorrow, I'll prepare to take on the first Gym Leader: Falkner.

* * *

NEW COMPANION: DUSK THE HOOTHOOT (LVL.3, ROUTE 29)

NEW COMPANION: BANSHEE THE ZUBAT (LVL.3, ROUTE 30)

NEW COMPANION: DIZZY THE POLIWAG (LVL.4, ROUTE 31)


	6. 1-6: The First Test

The morning after arriving at Violet City, I head back out to Route 31 to get some much-needed training. I can't rely on just Firebrand to win the battle: I'll need Dusk, Banshee and Dizzy to do their best for me as well. I'll have to be careful while training them, though, as they're currently pretty weak, and if I push them too hard, it'll end in disaster.

Over the course of the training session, my Pokémon and I knock out some thirty wild Pokémon¹. Their unconscious bodies start to litter the area, and some even wake up only to be beaten back into submission. I feel kind of sorry for them all, being beaten so ruthlessly, but with no trainers in sight, it's the only way I can make my Pokémon stronger. I at least have the decency not to kill any of them. I don't want to get stronger at the cost of others' lives.

Early in my training, I'm interrupted by a phone call from Joey asking for a rematch. Eager to break up the monotony of training, I agree, and head back to Route 30 to face him. While my team has improved since our last meeting yesterday, his Rattata still seems to be at the same strength, and Dusk dispatches it in two hits without sustaining any damage in reply. With Joey defeated once more, I head off to resume my training.

In the end, the only major incident is when a Spinarak poisons both Dizzy and Dusk, and I'm forced to use up two of my Antidotes on them. Other than that, the training goes without a hitch. I make regular trips back to Violet City to heal my Pokémon at the Pokémon Centre, in order to conserve my Potions for the battle ahead. While this approach helps protect my Pokémon from danger, it also slows down my training somewhat, and it takes me a solid hour of training² before I feel that my entire team is ready to face the first Gym.

After healing my team once more at the Pokémon Centre, I head towards Violet City Gym in pursuit of my first Gym Badge. I'm quietly confident about my chances, but it seems that before I'm allowed to take on the Gym Leader himself, I must defeat two of his pupils. Undaunted, I prepare my strategy and then make my way inside.

The first trainer ambushes me soon after I make my way inside. "Let's see if you're good enough to face Falkner!" he says. "Go, Spearow!" The bird Pokémon bursts out of its Poké Ball, and I can tell at once that it's a more formidable opponent than any I've faced before now. Nonetheless, I send out Dizzy and put my plan into action.

"Dizzy," I call out, "use Hypnosis!" Dizzy promptly uses hypnotic suggestion to put the Spearow to sleep, and I take advantage of my foe's slumber to switch in Firebrand. Just as Firebrand charges in to land his first hit, however, Spearow wakes up and dishes out a hit of its own. This really is going to be a formidable fight.

Firebrand and the Spearow fight hard, matching each other blow-for-blow. Soon both Pokémon are limping, and I'm forced to use one of my precious Potions on Firebrand, just to pull him through. It works, and with one last blow, Firebrand knocks the Spearow out, and my first challenger is defeated. "Pathetic," he sneers. "Losing to a rookie trainer like you… you still don't stand a chance against Falkner!"

"We'll see about that," I retort, before making my way on to the second trainer.

This second trainer has two Pokémon, the first of which is a Pidgey. I put the same tactic into action, sending out Dizzy to send the Pidgey to sleep with Hypnosis before switching in Firebrand to deal the damage. It backfires again, however: Pidgey wakes up before Firebrand can land a blow, and doles out one of its own. Firebrand is still a little wounded from the last fight, and I'm forced to use a second Potion to pull him through. Re-energized, the Pidgey is defeated, and I sense Dizzy and Firebrand both grow stronger from their combat experience.

The second Pokémon turns out to be merely another Pidgey. With my strategy called into question, I keep Firebrand out and opt for all-out attack this time. It works: a powerful strike to Pidgey's weak spot cripples it, and a second blow is all it takes to finish it off. Now Falkner is the only one standing between me and the first Gym Bdge.

The second trainer takes defeat about as well as the first. "Don't get cocky just because you beat me, kid!" he says. "Falkner's skills are for real! He'll show you!" The trainers here really seem to believe in Falkner's skills. I'll just have to believe that my own skills are stronger.

Before facing Falkner, I head back out of the Gym and heal my Pokémon once more at the Pokémon Centre, before heading to the Poké Mart and buying some more supplies with the winnings I got from beating Falkner's students. You can't be too careful. I can't imagine this Falkner will be as shy about hurting my Pokémon as I was about hurting the wild Pokémon in Route 31.

Heading back into the Violet Gym, I make my way toeards the back, where Falkner waits for me. He is a young man with blue hair that drapes over one eye, hiding it from view. The one visible eye is a steely grey-blue. I can expect no mercy from this man. Swallowing my nerves, I step forward to face him.

"Congratulations on making it this far," Falkner says, as he steps forward to meet my challenge. "I'm Falkner, the Violet City Pokémon Gym Leader. I'm a staunch believer in the power of Flying-type Pokémon. They say you can clip a Flying-type's wings with a jolt of electricity, but I believe they are much stronger than that. I won't allow such an insult to them!" He sweeps an arm dramatically at me. "Prepare yourself, challenger! I will show you the true power of the magnificent bird Pokémon! Go, Pidgey!"

Falkner sends out his first Pokémon, Pidgey, and I send out Dizzy. I don't intend for Dizzy to send it to sleep this time; merely to deal some damage and take a few blows before I send in Firebrand. It's a risky strategy, but what isn't? "Dizzy," I call out, "use Bubble!"

To my surprise and delight, Dizzy is able to hold its own against Pidgey, resisting its blows and dishing out powerful Bubble blasts of its own. In the end, Firebrand is not needed: Dizzy dispatches the Pidgey all on its own, though not without taking some punishment in return. "Nice job, Dizzy," I say. "Come back!"

Falkner isn't happy about one of his Pokémon falling. "Not bad," he says. "I guess I don't have to hold back against you, then." He plucks the second Poké Ball from his belt with a smirk. "Go, Pidgeotto!"

This is not good. Pidgeys I could handle, but I'm now up against Pidgey's evolved form. I've come this far, though: I have to try. "Go, Firebrand!" Firebrand bursts from his Poké Ball and immediately lands a strong hit against Pidgeotto. A mere Pidgey would have been crippled by the strike, but Pidgeotto remains standing. This is so not good.

"Pidgeotto, use Gust!" says Falkner. The wind attack catches Firebrand off-guard, and sends it tumbling backwards. Staggering to its feet, Firebrand defiantly launches another Tackle, but again it seems to just bounce off. Pidgeotto sweeps its wings in another Gust attack, sending Firebrand skidding away. "Not bad at all," remarks Falkner. "But your Cyndaquil's attacks are weak."

"Its defences aren't," I retort. "And neither were my preparations." Firebrand, on cue, proceeds to take out a Berry I'd given it beforehand and happily munch it down, restoring its vitality in a jiffy. It then heartily resumes the struggle against Pidgeotto, and after sustaining another strike to its vitals, the bird Pokémon's resistance finally cracks. It lets out a cry of pain and staggers backwards, clearly on its last legs.

"Firebrand," I command, "finish him off!" With its power now peaking, Firebrand forgoes Tackling the Pidgeotto and instead finishes it off with a blast of flame. The exhausted Pidgeotto collapses to the ground, and Falkner is defeated. Victory is mine.

Falkner is left speechless by the defeat at first. "My bird Pokémon…" he mutters in disbelief. After taking a moment to compose himself, he takes a deep breath and smiles at me for the first time. "All right," he says. "It seems like I underestimated you, youngster. Here. Take this." He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small badge in the shape of a pair of wings. "It's the official Pokémon League Zephyr Badge," he explains. "This Badge proves that you've defeated my Gym. It will also raise your Pokémon's attack power."

As the thrill of my victory starts to wear off, I take the badge from Falkner and pin it to my lapel. My first Pokémon League Gym Badge. The first of many, I hope. But Falkner is not done with me yet. "Here," he says. "Take this too." He hands me what appears to be a small CD in a case. "This is a Technical Machine, or TM," he explains, sensing my puzzlement. "It can be used to instantly teach your Pokémon a new move, but think carefully before using it - TMs can only be used once. This one contains Mud-Slap, which reduces the opponent's accuracy while dealing damage. It's useful both defensively and offensively."

"I see," I say, taking the TM disc. "Thank you. I'm sure this will come in handy."

Falkner nods. "I assume you are taking the Gym Challenge?" he asks.

"I am indeed," I tell him, as I put the disc away.

"Good," said Falkner. "You should continue to test your skills. As for me…" He recalls his unconscious Pidgeotto and places its Poké Ball back on his belt. "I'm going to keep training to become the world's greatest bird master!"

"Good luck with that," I tell him. "And… thank you."

"You are welcome, trainer," says Falkner. "Now, go. There are gyms all across Johto that are waiting for you."

I nod, and take my leave. As I step outside, the Violet City air tastes that little bit sweeter. Now that I've defeated one Pokémon Gym, my confidence is sky-high. I know I can take the other seven now. It's just a matter of training.

* * *

[FOOTNOTES]  
¹Yes, I counted.  
²It only took me 45 minutes to beat the Gym itself _and_ write the 1400-word summary of its events.


	7. 2-1: The Ruins of Alph

According to my Pokégear's map, the next town along is Azalea Town, and there's another Pokémon Gym there. Still on a high after beating Falkner's Gym, I decide to head over there as fast as I can and challenge this second Gym. Surely it can't be much more difficult than the first.

As I head out of the Gym, however, I receive a call on my Pokégear. I'm a little irritated at being distracted from my quest, until I realize that the call is from Professor Elm. I hurriedly answer the call. "Hello? Professor Elm?"

"Hi, Ryan," says Professor Elm. I can tell from his voice that he sounds excited. "You know Mr. Pokémon and I were researching that egg? Well, we think we've unlocked a vital discovery surrounding it!"

This catches my attention. "Really?" I ask. "What is it?"

"I'm sorry," says Professor Elm, "I can't talk much right now. I'm still busy with my research. But I've sent my assistant up to Violet City with the details. He'll be waiting for you in the Pokémon Centre, and he'll explain everything to you."

I guess the Violet Gym can wait for now, while I go and find out what the professor's discovery is. Besides, now that I think about it, I should probably go to the Pokémon Centre anyway to heal Dizzy and Firebrand before I head on my way. "Alright," I say. "I'll be right there."

"Okay, thanks, Ryan," says the professor. "Alright, I gotta go, but I'll call you back. See you." Before I can get a chance to say goodbye, the professor hangs up. Putting my Pokégear away, I head off towards the Violet Pokémon Centre.

When I get there, Professor Elm's assistant is waiting for me over at the desk. He's cradling the mysterious egg in one arm, and with the other arm he waves me over to him. "Hey, Ryan!" he says. "Over here!"

I make my way over towards him. "Hey. So, what was Professor Elm's big discovery?"

"Well," says the researcher, "we discovered that in order for a Pokémon Egg to hatch, it has to be kept with other active Pokémon while it grows. Therefore, the professor has another favour to ask of you. Could you please take care of the Egg until it hatches?"

The researcher holds the Egg out to me. It's strange to think that inside it is a baby Pokémon, slowly growing and forming, and that I'll be the first parent it ever has. It's a big responsibility, but then again, so is having a Pokémon, and a Pokédex. I'm sure I can handle it. "Sure," I say, taking hold of it. "I'll take care of it for you."

"Thanks a lot, Ryan," says the researcher, smiling as he hands over the egg. "You're the only person we can rely on for this. Oh, and could you please phone Professor Elm once that Egg hatches? He'll want to hear about it, and I'm sure he'll want to see what kind of Pokémon hatches from it."

"Sure thing," I say. "Uhh… hang on a moment." I take off my rucksack and slip the Egg inside. It should be nice and cozy in there, not to mention safe from wild Pokémon. The last thing I need is this Egg getting smashed.

"Well, now that that's taken care of, I'd better head back to the lab," says the assistant. "Thanks again, Ryan. I'll see you later."

"See you," I say, waving to the assistant. The man waves back, and then leaves.

With our business taken care of, I heal my Pokémon at the front desk, and then head south through the city towards the entrance to Route 32, which will take me towards Azalea Town. Not long after entering Route 32, however, my attention is captured by a signpost pointing to my right. It reads, "RUINS OF ALPH, EAST ENTRANCE". "'Ruins of Alph'?" I read aloud. "Never heard of them. I wonder if there's any rare Pokémon there…" If there are, they might be of great use to me in that second Gym. "It's worth a look," I decide, and I follow the signpost west towards the ruins.

When I arrive at the ruins, I find several stone buildings in a state of significant ruin. Some of them seem to be open to the public, containing various exhibits about the ruins; others are closed off, presumably for safety reasons. I wander around for a little while, then enter the closest open building. Inside, I find a large open chamber, filled with stone statues of ancient Pokémon. There are numerous strange symbols etched onto the walls. The symbols feel both familiar and strangely eerie, although try as I might, I cannot work out why. Feeling a sense of unease, I decide to move on.

The next chamber I enter contains an interactive exhibit depicting a stone tablet that has been broken into numerous pieces. The exhibit description makes for interesting reading: "THIS FRAGMENTED TABLET WAS FOUND IN THE RUINS SEVERAL MONTHS AGO. RESEARCHERS HAVE TRIED TO PIECE IT TOGETHER, BUT TO NO AVAIL. THIS EXHIBIT WAS CREATED TO LET MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ATTEMPT TO TRY PIECING IT TOGETHER." That's certainly a unique approach.

At the back of the room is a researcher, staring intently at the wall. There are more of those strange symbols etched upon it. Curious, I approach the man. "What's up with these weird symbols?" I ask him. "They were on the walls of the other chamber as well."

"We don't know," said the researcher. "Undoubtedly, they hold the key to unlocking the mysteries of the ruins, but we just can't figure them out. And here's where it gets weird: recently, we've noticed that the symbols are changing."

I find this rather hard to believe. "That's impossible," I say dismissively.

"That's what we thought," said the researcher, "but it's true. Strange, cryptic patterns are appearing on walls all over the complex, and we can't explain why. Take a look for yourself."

I take a look at the section of wall the researcher is staring at, and suddenly my jaw drops open. I realize now why the symbols had felt so familiar: they resemble letters, and the letters on this particular section of wall undeniably spell out the word "ESCAPE". "That's… that's actually pretty freaky," I say.

"You're telling me," says the researcher. "I've been conducting research on these ruins for ten years now, and I've never seen anything like this. It's almost like… like the ruins themselves are trying to tell us something."

"Like what?" I ask. "You mean there's something trying to escape from these ruins?"

"Your guess is as good as mine," says the researcher. "But if something's really been hiding here for 1500 years, why is it only now trying to escape…?"

I shake my head. It's a bizarre mystery, and one that's probably not mine to solve. I turn to go, but for some reason the shattered tablet puzzle catches my eye. I decide to have a go at piecing it together, and step up to the exhibit. As my eyes rove the pieces, I notice a series of lines and shapes that seem to match up, and the pattern begins to form in my head. Perhaps I really can piece it together...

Slowly, one by one, I take the stone pieces and arrange them on the exhibit board. With each piece I add, the picture slowly begins to take shape, and I start to realize that the tablet depicts some kind of ancient Pokémon. I feel my heart rate start to increase as the thrill of solving such an ancient mystery kicks in. With a strange sense of anticipation and excitement, I insert the last piece of the puzzle.

Suddenly, the chamber starts to rumble and shake, as though an earthquake has suddenly struck. I'm almost thrown off-balance, but I somehow manage to stay upright. Looking down at my feet, I notice to my alarm that the ground beneath them is staring to crack. The researcher, equally alarmed, tears his gaze away from the strange wall patterns and turns to face me. "What's going on?" he asks.

"I don't know!" I exclaim. "I pieced together that strange tablet, and-"

Before I can say anything else, the ground beneath my feet gives way entirely, and I find myself plummeting through the stone floor with a loud cry. A second or two later, I land on a hard stone floor only a couple of meters below, but the impact is still hard enough to twist my ankle. I collapse to the floor with a cry of pain, clutching the wounded joint. Looking around me, I seem to be in a large open chamber similar to the one I had visited earlier, but there's an altogether different atmosphere here now. It feels like I can hear quiet voices all around me. Maybe the pain is just messing with my head.

The researcher's face appears in the hole over my head. "Are you okay?" he calls out.

"Not really," I call back. "I twisted my ankle. Oh, right, the egg-" Realizing the egg could have been damaged in the fall, I hurriedly remove my backpack and open the main compartment. To my relief, the egg seems to be perfectly intact. "Man, that's a relief..."

I suddenly hear a gasp of horror from above me. "Mother of Arceus!" the researcher exclaims. "Those symbols… they're alive!" Looking up, I'm met with a sight so bizarre that for a moment I'm convinced that the pain is simply messing with my head. But if the researcher is seeing this too, then as hard as it is to believe, it has to be real.

All around me, the strange letter-like symbols are emerging from the walls and floating into the air, gradually drifting towards me. Gripped by a sudden terror, I try to scurry to my feet, but my twisted ankle sends me falling back onto my rear again. I scramble backwards as fast as I can, but it's not enough to outrun the strange creatures, and they're coming at me from all directions, everywhere I look. Then, one of them suddenly swoops forward and attacks.


	8. 2-2: Escape

All around me, the strange letter-like symbols are emerging from the walls and floating into the air, gradually drifting towards me. Gripped by a sudden terror, I try to scurry to my feet, but my twisted ankle sends me falling back onto my rear again. I scramble backwards as fast as I can, but it's not enough to outrun the strange creatures, and they're coming at me from all directions, everywhere I look. Then, one of them suddenly swoops forward and attacks.

Firebrand bursts forth from his Poké Ball in the nick of time and takes the hit for me, shrugging it off without a problem. "Thanks, buddy." Firebrand chirps happily in response, and then beats the mysterious creature back with a blast of flame.

As more of the strange symbols start to swoop down towards us, I hear a cry from above: "Get him outta there! Get him outta there!" A rope drops down through the hole in the ceiling, and I see the researcher's face appear in the gap. "Grab on and we'll pull you up!" he calls out.

Looking around at the swarm of symbols, I realize something. "Do you know what these things are?" I call up to the researcher.

"No!" says the researcher. "I had no idea that they were alive! But they're clearly hostile, and we need to get you out of there now!"

Another of the symbols swoops down towards Firebrand, firing a strange pulse of light at him. "They're Pokémon!" I call up. "They're a type of Pokémon nobody's ever seen before! I'm going to try and catch one for you! Then you can pull me up!"

"Hey! Don't do anything stupid!" says the researcher. "Hey!"

But I've made up my mind about this. Whatever these creatures are, we could learn a hell of a lot from studying them. I order Firebrand to attack the creature that just fired at him, but before he can, it fires another pulse of light. This one strikes Firebrand square in the head and sends him tumbling backwards, collapsing on the cold stone floor. For a second, I fear the worst, but it seems as though he's still alive, albeit unconscious. Perhaps this wasn't such a good idea after all.

"You're gonna get yourself and your Pokémon killed!" the researcher calls out. "Hurry up and get outta there!" Reluctantly, I recall the unconscious Firebrand, but instead of grabbing the rope, I grab Dusk's Poké Ball from my belt. I'm not going to let these creatures get away with nearly killing my friend.

Before I can send him out, however, I hear a girl cry out from above: "What's the matter?"

"A hole opened up in the floor, and this kid fell down into the chamber below!" explains the researcher. "There are strange creatures swarming all over him! He's in real danger, but he won't-"

"I see." The girl says something I don't quite catch, then calls out, "Go, Steelix!" An Ultra Ball falls through the hole in the ceiling, and out of it bursts Steelix. It's the largest Pokémon I've ever seen, and as it unfurls, its metallic body slams loudly against the chamber walls, causing the whole area to shake and dust to fall from the ceiling. The swarming creatures all stop and look at the newcomer. Steelix then rears up and lets out an ear-splitting Roar, and the strange symbols all suddenly turn around and flee the vicinity, heading back into the walls from which they emerged. Soon, the chamber is still once more.

A girl's face then appears through the hole in the ceiling. My immediate thought is that she's really pretty. The fact she just saved me probably has something to do with that. "Are you alright down there?" she calls out.

I nod. I realize now that I'd made a mistake in trying to fight those creatures, especially in my current condition. "I'll be alright," I call back. "Thank you."

"Come on, let's get you outta there before they show up again," said the researcher. "We'll take you to the hospital, and we'll take your Cyndaquil – Firebrand, was it? - to the Pokémon Centre. You'll both be just fine."

"Thank you." I grab tightly onto the rope, and with the help of my rescuer, the researcher manages to pull me out of the chamber and back into the room containing the tablet.

The researcher seems just as shaken by what has just happened as I am. "You said those things down there were… Pokémon?" he asks me.

"It sure seemed like it," I say. "I don't know what else they could be."

"What?" says the girl. "You were attacked by Pokémon?"

"Yes," I say. "They were like nothing I've ever seen before. They were coming out of the walls!"

The girls seems rather alarmed at this statement, but the researcher simply nods. "We'll definitely have to mount an expedition into that chamber," he said. "You may not have been able to catch one of those things, but we'll certainly give it our best effort." He glances over at the reassembled tablet. "I suppose I should thank you for unlocking the chamber in the first place," he said. "Who would have thought that that tablet was the key to unlocking the ruins' secret..."

"You look hurt," says the girl suddenly. "Do you need to go to the hospital?"

Now that all the excitement is over, I'm becoming more aware of the pain in my ankle once more. "Ahh... yeah, I guess I probably should..."

"Don't worry," says the researcher, taking out his Pokégear. "I'll take care of everything for you. It's the least I can do."

* * *

"-and now, here's Lisa with the travel updates."

"Thank you. If you're planning on heading between Violet City and Ecruteak City, I'm afraid you'll have to take the long way round: there are numerous reports of a strange tree blocking Route 36, preventing direct travel between the two cities…"

It's been two days since I was admitted to hospital in Violet City. Luckily, my ankle injury doesn't seem to have been that serious, but it's still put the kibosh on my plans to fight the Azalea Gym, at least for the time being. Firebrand and the rest of my Pokémon were healed at the Pokémon Centre and are now by my side again, all perfectly fine. I just have to wait for my own injuries to heal, and I can be on my way once more.

I've had two visitor during my time in hospital. The first was my mother, who came over a few hours after I was admitted. As relieved as she was to see that I was okay, she was still pretty upset with me, and made me promise never to do something that stupid ever again. Having learned my lesson, I sincerely gave her my word. The second was the researcher, who burst into my room earlier this morning, brandishing an Ultra Ball. "We did it!" he had exclaimed. "We caught one!"

"Really?" I replied. "Let me see!"

The researcher pressed the release button, and in a flash one of those strange Pokémon appeared before me. It seemed to resemble the letter N. "We're still analysing the data from it," he had said, "so we don't know exactly how powerful it is yet. But it's clear that when these Pokémon are in swarms, they're immensely powerful."

"Have you given them a species name yet?" I had asked. "They're an entirely new species of Pokémon, right?"

The researcher shook his head in response. "We're still thinking about it," he said. "We'll let you know. Thanks for all your help back at the ruins; we never would have discovered these strange Pokémon if it weren't for you. Just, uhh... leave the heroism to the professionals next time, alright?"


	9. 2-3: First Blood

The following day, the doctors decide I've made a full recovery, and I'm discharged from the hospital. I duly set off once more for Azalea Town, this time with a promise to myself not to get cocky again. I may have one Gym Badge, but I'm still fairly weak. I can't go around taking stupid risks like I did back at the Ruins of Alph; my Pokémon and I might not be so lucky the next time.

I head back out onto Route 32 as before, but this time I head directly south, following the main path. Having grown used to being ambushed the moment I walk into the tall grass, I'm now ready for it, and so it's no surprise at all when I'm suddenly attacked by a wild Wooper. I send out Dusk to battle it, and once it's been suitably weakened, I catch it in one of my remaining Poké Balls. It's another female, and on account of its broad smiling face, I decide to name her Smiley.

With Smiley now in my party, I proceed through the route, beating back the various trainers and wild Pokémon that challenge me along the way. Just like on Route 31, it's mostly just clueless kids with Rattata. One of them, a girl named Liz, seems more interested in her phone than battling me at first, but once I knock out her Nidoran, she starts to pay attention. "You're off a journey to see the world?" she says. "Neat! Hey, let's be friends! Can I have your phone number? I wanna hear about everything you've seen!"

"Sure." I exchange phone numbers with Liz, and head off on my way.

As I head further south, I soon find myself at the coast once more. There's a large wooden jetty, with several fishermen all fishing for Pokémon. I'm unsure whether or not to battle them, but one of them notices my belt full of Poké Balls and calls me over. I end up battling and defeating each of them in turn, but their Pokémon are tough, and by the end of it my supply of Potions has been exhausted. There's still a long way to go before I reach Azalea Town, so I decide to head back to Violet City for now and buy some more.

Upon my return to Route 32, I take the opportunity to train Banshee a little. Right now, she only knows two moves, and neither of them are all that useful. By the time I reach the southern end of the route, she still only knows two moves, but she's definitely grown stronger. I've also found two Great Balls, an enhanced Poké Ball that should allow me to catch even stronger Pokémon.

Near the southern exit, I'm suddenly approached by a shady-looking man in a trench coat, carrying a cooler box. "Excuse me, sir!" he says, blocking my path. "How would you like to have one of these delicious, nutritious Slowpoke Tails?" He opens the box and, to my horror, I see that it's filled with several severed Slowpoke tails, packed with ice to keep them fresh. Ignoring the disgusted look on my face, he continues: "Right now, you can have one for just $1,000,000! That's a steal! You'll have one, right?"

"No!" I say. "That's horrible! How can you just cut off their tails like that? Aren't Slowpoke supposed to be endangered, anyway?"

The man's demeanour changes completely. "If you won't buy one, then scram!" he snarls. All too happy to get out of his presence, I continue heading south.

At the southern terminus of Route 32, I find that it leads into a cave called Union Cave. There's a Pokémon Centre outside, allowing me to heal my weary Pokémon before I proceed. I take advantage of the opportunity, then proceed forward into the cave. It's dark, but I can still see well enough to find my way. Wary of any wild Pokémon that might be in the cave, I proceed with caution.

Sure enough, the cave turns out to be full of wild Geodude, Rattata, and Zubat. There are a few trainers here as well, honing their skills against the cave's denizens. Once again I defeat all challengers: Dizzy and Smiley take care of the Rock-types, and the others help take down the rest. We're still a little worn-out by the time we make it out onto Route 33, though. Joey's constant phone calls don't exactly help; while I appreciate his enthusiasm for battling, having him phone me every twenty minutes to tell me about his Rattata grows tiring after a while. After he calls me for the third time that day, I resort to deleting and blocking his number. He'll have to find someone else to bug.

I'm perfectly content to head straight to Azalea Town and heal my Pokémon, but before I make it, I'm ambushed by a large man in a hiking outfit. "Hey, kid!" he calls out. "You a Pokémon trainer?"

"Yeah," I say.

"I just made it through the cave, but I've still got plenty of energy to burn," says the hiker. "Fancy a battle?"

I know the rules. There's no backing down from a trainer battle. "Sure," I say. "Bring it on."

"Alright then," says the hiker. "Go, Geodude!"

As he sends out his Geodude, I can't help feeling a little relieved. From the looks of him, I'd expected him to have quite strong Pokémon, but I'd taken down half a dozen Geodude in Union Cave without breaking a sweat. This shouldn't be too much different. "Go, Dizzy! Use Bubble!"

Dizzy bursts out of her Poké Ball and fires a stream of bubbles at the Geodude. Ordinarily, this would have taken it down in one shot, but to my astonishment, the Geodude survives. I guess this hiker's Pokémon are pretty strong after all. "Nice try," says the hiker, "but your Pokémon could use some extra power. Geodude, use Rock Throw!"

Geodude picks up a nearby rock and hurls it straight at Dizzy, knocking her back quite a way. The strike has clearly wounded her, for she struggles to get back on her feet, and is limping quite badly. Nonetheless, she courageously finishes the Geodude off with another blast of bubbles. "Good work, girl," I say. "Now come back."

As I withdraw the injured Dizzy, the man withdraws his fainted Geodude. "Alright," he says. "Let's see how you handle this. Go, Machop!"

Machop bursts forth from its Poké Ball. It's a Fighting-type Pokémon, and somewhat muscular-looking, but its small size makes me assume it's relatively weak. Dusk learned Peck during our time on Route 32, so it's well-equipped to deal with the threat. "Go, Dusk!" I call out, throwing her Poké Ball. "Use Peck!"

Dusk flits over to the Machop and aggressively pecks at it. As energetic as her attack is, it seems to have little effect. "Again, nice try," says the hiker. "Let me show you how it's done. Machop, use Low Kick!"

It happens almost in slow-motion. The kick strikes Dusk at blinding speed, sending her flying backwards in a flurry of feathers. She strikes the ground hard and tumbles to a halt, motionless. Somehow, deep in my heart, I can tell that it's not good. Her chest's not moving… she doesn't seem to be breathing. Dusk… is she...

The mere thought fills me with a burning rage. I'd felt something similar after Firebrand was nearly killed back in the Ruins of Alph, but this is much stronger. I seize Firebrand's Poké Ball, fixing the Machop with a steely gaze. "Firebrand, take him out!"

Firebrand bursts forth and, as though he has sensed the seriousness of the situation, he is suddenly enveloped in a bright light. As his silhouette begins to change, I realize that Firebrand is evolving. Sure enough, when the light fades away, Firebrand has evolved into the larger, more powerful Quilava. With a roar, he unleashes a torrent of flame that engulfs the Machop. It endures the fierce blaze for a brief time, but is ultimately brought to its knees, and then down to the ground, collapsing into the burning grass. I may have actually killed it, but I'm surprised to find that I don't particularly care. I have, at least, avenged Dusk.

The man stares down solemnly at his Machop as the flames lick around it. "I guess this makes us even, huh, kid?" he remarks.

* * *

Dusk is dead. I took her to the Pokémon Centre in Azalea Town, but there was nothing more they could do for her. My quest has claimed its first victim. Or rather, its first two victims: the Machop that slew Dusk was also killed. I don't know what happened to it, but when I returned to Route 33 to lay Dusk to rest, the trainer and his dead Machop were no longer there.

As the sun began to set above me, I set about digging a grave by the side of the path, with help from Firebrand. Even though it's a small grave, it still takes a while, and by the time it's complete, my arms ache and my face is covered with sweat. I gently lay Dusk's body into the hole, and with Firebrand's help, we pile the dirt back into the grave. Soon all that's left of my brave companion is a small mound of dirt. I take some fallen twigs lying nearby, fashion a makeshift cross, and push it into the mound, marking the grave site. It's only a modest grave, but it's all I can do for her.

As I recall Firebrand, I look down at the four remaining Poké Balls on my belt. "I'm not going to lose any more of you," I say. "I promise." Wiping the sweat from my brow, I take one last look back at Dusk's resting place, and then head back towards Azalea Town, in the direction of the slowly-setting sun.

* * *

NEW COMPANION: SMILEY THE WOOPER (LVL.6, ROUTE 32)

FALLEN COMPANION: DUSK THE HOOTHOOT (LVL.3 – LVL.11)


	10. 2-4: The Light After The Darkness

After booking a hotel room for the night, I try to get some sleep, but I can't. Dusk's death still haunts me. If Dusk could go that easily, what's to stop my other Pokémon from falling that easily? Firebrand will be able to take on the Azalea Gym all by himself, I'm certain of that, but my other Pokémon are still very weak in comparison. Tomorrow I'll have to hold another training session, just like I did prior to taking on the Violet Gym.

As soon as the sun comes up, I get out of bed and head to the Azalea Poké Mart to buy some more supplies. I then head out onto Route 33, revisiting the place were Dusk fell. Her grave is still there, along with the scorch marks from where Firebrand killed that Machop. Strangely, I don't feel as remorseful about that as I thought I would. I guess I can rationalize it as Firebrand's murder, and not my own, not to mention it having been revenge. Whichever way you look at it, though, I can't deny it: I killed another trainer's Pokémon. I'm going to have to live with that. But then, so is that Machop's owner. I wonder where he is now.

Well, in any case, it's no use thinking about those things now. I need to focus on the future: namely, strengthening my team and getting that Azalea Gym Badge. There's not much grass on the route, but I make-do, taking on any wild Pokémon that happens to cross my path. I can sense my team growing stronger with every vanquished foe, and at the same time, I feel the bonds between us strengthening. In spite of what happened to Dusk, my remaining Pokémon still trust me, and I'm indebted to them for that.

Not long into my training, I receive a call from Wade, out on Route 31. He's found some rare-looking Berries, and he wants to share them with me. I figure that I could always train along the way, and it beats standing around in one place all morning, so I decide to head over there and see what he's found. It turns out to be a cache of Cheri Berries, which he duly shares with me. I thank him, and head off on my way. Halfway through Route 32, however, I hear a sudden cracking sound.

"The egg!" Quickly, but carefully, I take off my backpack, put it on the ground, and unzip the main compartment. The egg within is starting to crack: it's undeniably hatching. I pick it up as delicately as I can and place it on the ground. As I do so, I feel the weakened shell flex beneath my fingers. Smiley, who's been the main beneficiary of my training, peers curiously at the egg as the cracks grow ever longer, spreading across the entire surface of the egg.

Just as I'm thinking that I should probably phone Professor Elm about this, the top half of the egg smashes completely, and there, sat before me, is an entirely new Pokémon the likes of which I've never seen before. It's a small, creamy-yellow Pokémon, with a rounded body that seems to still be stuck in the lower half of its egg. It has two stubby little arms and legs that stick out from the shell, and two beady black eyes with which it looks up at me in curiosity. A ring of five spikes stick out from the top of its head, forming a sort of crown. It takes a tottering step towards me, then lets out a high-pitched cry.

It's adorable. I kneel down and pick up the newly-hatched Pokémon. "Well, hello there, little guy," I say. Well, I assume it's a guy. Honestly, I have no way of knowing, since its shell is still covering a certain area. "What kind of Pokémon are you, huh…? Professor Elm will be really excited to see you~ Oh, right-"

I put the Pokémon back down again, take out my Pokégear, and as the new arrival watches on with interest, I dial Professor Elm's number. He picks up pretty quickly. "Hello?" he says. "Ryan? Is everything alright?

"Professor, the egg's hatched," I tell him.

This seems to catch Professor Elm by surprised. "...what?" he says. "It's hatched?"

"Yeah," I say. "I was down on Route 32, I heard a cracking noise coming from my backpack, I opened it up, and it just… hatched right in front of me." As I say this, the Pokémon begins to chirp happily below me.

"That's excellent news!" says the professor. "Well? What kind of Pokémon is it?"

"I don't know," I admit. "I've never seen one like it before."

"Is that so?" says Prof. Elm. "In that case, could you come and show me it at my lab, please? I'd love to see it!"

"Sure thing, Professor." It's always a pleasure to help the professor out, plus I'll get to do a little more training at the same time. That being said, this Pokémon is definitely not ready for any battles. I'll have to tread carefully.

"Thanks, Ryan," says Prof. Elm. "I'll see you soon."

I hang up, put the Pokégear away, and take out a spare Poké Ball. "You'll be safe in here, buddy," I say. Actually, that reminds me: I should give him a name. It doesn't take me long to think of one: Dawn. This Pokémon was brought into the world the day after Dusk was wrenched from it, so somehow, it just feels… right. The light after the darkness. I press the button on the Poké Ball, and Dawn is sucked within, safe from harm.

It doesn't take me too long to make it back to New Bark Town. It's strange to be back home: it feels like forever since I was last here. I pay my mom a brief visit, then head straight to Elm's lab. He's sitting at his desk, as usual. "Hey, Ryan!" he says. "You look great. I'm sorry I couldn't come and see you at the hospital, but I had my research to be getting on with."

"I understand, Professor," I say. "It's no big deal, really."

With the formalities over with, Professor Elm decided to get down to business. "Alright then," he says, getting up from his desk. "Care to show me this unknown Pokémon of yours?"

I nod, pluck Dawn's Poké Ball from my belt, and send him out. The professor certainly seems surprised at the Pokémon's appearance. "So this is it..." he mutters aloud, crouching down to get a better look at the Pokémon. "Undeniable proof that Pokémon really are hatched from eggs… or at least, some of them are. We can't say for certain that all Pokémon hatch from eggs. There's really a lot of research still to be done."

After staring thoughtfully at Dawn for a few moments, Prof. Elm straightens up to look at me. "Anyway, thanks, Ryan!" he says. "You're really helping me out a whole bunch here! I've learned a lot thanks to you!"

It's weird to hear a world-renowned Pokémon researcher tell me he's learned a lot from me, but I guess he has. Hearing him say it fills me with pride, and I suddenly feel happier than I have for the last few days. "Thanks, Professor," I say. "It's always a pleasure to be able to help you out."

"You're a good kid, Ryan," says Professor Elm. "I know you'll make an excellent trainer. Here." The Professor reaches into one of the pockets of his lab coat and pulls out a smooth, rounded grey stone. "As a token of my appreciation, I want you to have this. It's an Everstone. If you give it to a Pokémon to hold, it'll stop that Pokémon from evolving."

I don't see how this could possibly be useful, but if it's a gift from the professor, I'll keep hold of it anyway. "Thanks, Professor," I say, slipping it into my pocket.

"Well, if that's all, I guess I'll let you be on your way," says Prof. Elm. "You've got the Azalea Gym to take on next, right?" I nod. "I'm sure you'll do fine. Good luck, Ryan."

"Thanks, Professor. See you later." I recall Dawn into his Poké Ball, wave goodbye to the professor, and set off on my way.

It's a bit of a walk back to Azalea Town, but I make it there without any further problems. I am starving, though, so after healing my party as usual, I head to a café to get some lunch. While there, however, I overhear an interesting snippet of conversation:

"Did you hear what's happening over in Slowpoke Well, on the edge of town?"

"You mean those guys claiming to be Team Rocket?"

"Yeah. You hear what they're doing to those poor Slowpoke?"

"Yeah. It's disgusting. Why hasn't anybody tried to stop them?"

"Funnily enough, I heard Kurt went over there this morning to check it out, but apparently he hasn't come back yet. I just checked and his Apricorn shop's still shut, as is the Gym."

"That's odd. I woulda thought Kurt would clear 'em out in five seconds flat. Speaking of odd… didn't Team Rocket split up three years ago, after that kid broke up their organization? What was his name… it was all over the news… Red, wasn't it? What ever happened to that kid, anyway? He broke up the biggest criminal organization Kanto's ever seen, and then he just vanished into thin air..."

* * *

NEW COMPANION: DAWN THE TOGEPI (Lvl.5, Route 32)


End file.
